I spent five years at Forbes writing about business and leadership, attracting nearly one million unique visitors to Forbes.com each month. While here, I assistant edited the annual World’s 100 Most Powerful Women package and helped launch and grow ForbesWoman.com. I've appeared on CBS, CNBC, MSNBC and E Entertainment and speak often at conferences and events on women's leadership topics. I graduated summa cum laude from New York University with degrees in journalism and sociology and was honored with a best in business award from the Society of American Business Editors and Writers (SABEW) in 2012. My work has appeared in Businessweek, Ladies’ Home Journal, The Aesthete and Acura Style. I live in New York City with my husband and can be found on Twitter @Jenna_Goudreau, Facebook, and Google+.

The 15 Jobs Where Women Earn More Than Men

Step aside, guys. Women are moving up the payroll. According to a March “Women at Work” report by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the gender wage gap continues to narrow. Women earned 81 cents for every dollar earned by men in 2010, up from 76 cents in 2000. Moreover, recent reports suggest that young urban women now earn 8% more than male peers, likely due to higher college graduation rates.

The fact remains, however, that men still earn more in almost every U.S. occupation—except in a telling few. An analysis of 2009 median weekly earnings for full-time workers, collected by the BLS, reveals at least 15 jobs where women earn slightly more than male colleagues.

Perhaps most surprising, women out-earn men in several male-dominated construction jobs. Female construction laborers, construction supervisors, maintenance painters, and aircraft and vehicle mechanics earn slightly above the median earnings for both sexes—despite holding just 3% of these jobs.

“Researchers have found that both sexes fare better when they are in the minority,” says Caren Goldberg, a management professor at American University’s business school in Washington, D.C. “Women who choose male-dominated jobs are likely perceived as “atypical” or less consistent with the stereotypes associated with women, which are also associated with lower-paying jobs.”

Connecticut College economics professor Candace Howes further conjectures that the few women who enter construction and mechanical jobs are likely highly skilled and more concentrated in union jobs. “It was unionization that provided women access to these male-dominated jobs, and on average those wages are higher [than non-union jobs],” says Howes.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, women also make more in a few female-dominated education and healthcare jobs. Female teacher assistants earn 105% as much as male peers. Women are 92% of the field and earn a median of $474 a week, compared to men’s $453. Women also earn more than men in higher paying jobs like occupational therapists, dieticians and nutritionists, and life, physical, social science and health technicians.

Because women are the majority of workers in these fields, Howes says more women may have achieved higher wages due to seniority.

At the same time, there is some evidence that men are discriminated against in female-dominated jobs. A 2010 study found that men were less likely to be called for an interview in fields with 65% or more female workers, an attitude which may be reflected in wages. Employment researcher Laurence Shatkin, author of 2011 Career Plan, says that discrimination or feelings of not fitting in could cause higher turnover rates among men in these jobs, which wouldn’t allow them to gain seniority and would negatively affect wages.

Women also out-earned men in a few gender-balanced jobs. Although men are 48% of all dining room attendants and bartender helpers, women earn 111% more. Men in this job earn a median of $40 less than women each week, which adds up to a yearly loss of $2,000. Shatkin guesses that most of the difference is due to women receiving bigger tips.

Post Your Comment

Post Your Reply

Forbes writers have the ability to call out member comments they find particularly interesting. Called-out comments are highlighted across the Forbes network. You'll be notified if your comment is called out.

Comments

Jobs where women are paid more than the men? How can that be? Feminists have been telling us for years that employers EVERYWHERE pay women less than men for the exact same work.

But no doubt these same feminists also support the Age Discrimination In Employment Act. Without it, they may argue, employers, who the advocates rightly say always seek the cheapest labor possible, would replace their older employees with younger ones who will accept lower wages in the same jobs. But the advocates must think employers suddenly don’t care about cheap labor when it comes to paying men more than women in the same jobs. In sum, the advocates believe employers would replace older workers with younger ones to save money, but will not replace men with women to save money.

See “A Critical Look at the Ledbetter Fair Pay Act” at http://tinyurl.com/pvbrcu

Thanks for your comment. I would add that in almost every occupation–and the BLS tracks hundreds–men do earn more than women, for whatever reason. In these 15 or so jobs, women just barely out-earn men, unlike some of the other discrepancies. For example: Female doctors earn 65% as much as male doctors. In the case of dining room attendants, a very low-paying job, men earn 90% as much as women. It doesn’t come close to the gap between doctors. So, this list is not to say that there is not a gender imbalance. It simply points out a less reported fact: there are a few jobs in which women eek out a pay advantage.

Here Goes Yet another Useless Rant posted to confuse the Masses. Someone that sits behind a keyboard and is angry at the world. Men Obviously earn more because they have created most of the thing’s we use day after day. But this is completely forgotten about because people like this author confuse people especially young adults. Another reason men earn more is because as of right now they are Business Owner’s of many of the Coronation’s that run the U.S. Now I am not sure where you live but I am a Male who has had several Jobs where women where paid more than myself. Who care’s this mean’s they have worked their way up to more pay. You also say that Women Probably get paid more because of their College Degrees. Highly unlikely Many Top Corporations today are ran by College drop outs. It sounds to me that the Author is going off of old information the job wages have totally changed in womens favor and have lowered for the hard working man. There should be no article about Men vs Women at all. You Make your way to the top If you are a Man or a Women it should never be given to you, yet this seems to be the new way.

YES, but women are still earning equal pay for doing less or bring required to do less like in the police force, fire force or the military. Please explain why women don’t have the burden of serving on the front line, or kicking down a door during a police raid, but still get paid MORE than men.

I don’t see any basis for your claim. In almost all of the hundreds of jobs tracked by the BLS, in which men and women are full-time workers of the same title and working the same hours, men are paid more and sometimes substantially more. In these 15 jobs, women earn slightly more than men, but there is no indication that they are working less or any differently.

My point let me clarify, is that in certain professions such those aforementioned, Women are not required to meet the same test standards as men, and their job requirements are also less demanding. So really, women are actually getting paid MORE, since they do LESS in certain careers like the ones mentioned above.

Well actually, the reason women do not have this ‘burden’ is because they are barred from the application process. There are indeed women who would like to serve on the front line, they are simply not allowed. One could call that a form of discrimination, as much of the reasoning behind this restriction appears to be along the lines that women are physically not suited to front line combat, even though the nature of front line combat in this day and age differs markedly from that of the past. Also, not all men serve on the front lines, they have other jobs which are also important, just as women do and both are paid accordingly.

In Australia, women will soon be able to serve alongside their male counterparts in front-line combat roles, and the changes will be phased in over a five-year period. This is specifically a part of the push for gender equality, to allow women who want to serve to apply for all of the roles for which men are eligible and they will be judged (and paid) on merit not on their gender.

The nature of front line combat has not changed at all and never will. It’s about killing people up close and personal. That’s why it’s called “the front line”.

The reason females aren’t allowed there is because it will get good men killed, and I’m not talking about the enemy. Women will be “phased in” with much fanfare until a serious war occurs, at which time they will phase themselves back out very quickly.

And if feminists were serious about “equality”, that is, judging military personnel by their merit, all women would automatically be eliminated because they cannot meet even the lowest physical performance requirements expected of men.

Women weren’t allowed to vote and do other things too. However, they filed law suits and won. Funny, I don’t see any lawsuits filed to get at the front lines? Why? Women are not stupid. they only want equality when there is an advantage in being equal. When there is no advantage (like getting to die for your country on the front lines) they allow us men to be chauvanists. Women have filed class action lawsuits many times. They can still do it against the us army, but they won’t. Why should they? Women still get their name on the Marquee, “..The men and women who died for our country” without having to do the dying. Yes, womwen have died while in “active duty’ but thaT IS NOT THE SAME THING AS TAKING A BULLET OR GETTING A LIMB BLOWN OFF. Saying, “The men and women who fought for our country” is a little like saying, ‘The men and women who bring our children into ther world. Women do the actual pushing and bleeding in childbirth and men are in supportive roles. In war, men do the pushing and bleeding and women are in supportive roles. Women have nothing to gain by fighting for their right to be on the front lines when they already get credit for it without doing it.

I am never usually one to call out even the stupidest comments online, but you are so misinformed it is actually unbelievable. I was a police officer for a couple of years. I also have extensively looked into fire and military careers throughout my professional life. Being a women is NOTHING BUT A NEGATIVE in these surroundings. From the second you begin your job you are constantly sexually harassed and made to feel inferior and weak because you are a female. You can make the same exact mistake as a male co worker, but you will usually be the one getting stared down by bosses. In case you did not know (maybe you have no education and like to comment on things you know nothing about) most police, fire, and military jobs are paid through a pay scale. You cannot get a raise or make less because you are male or female. In jobs like that you get raises by getting promoted. To get promoted you either have to take a test or do something outstanding (depends on the job – ex. sergeant vs. detective) which will then give you a bigger paycheck. As far as women “kicking down the door” maybe you have watched Law and Order too many times lol. To be able to “kick down doors” you must usually be some type in ESU which is pretty difficult to get. You must pass a series of tests before getting into any sort of ESU department. And as far as the women that work for more male dominated jobs, they would love to be wherever the action is and they usually aren’t scared of getting there hands dirty. It is the MEN (not all- most) that usually prevent these women from getting further than a desk job. Do some research next time before you make a ass out of yourself again! Goodnight.

I am not sure it is a good idea to have Walmart on this list considering the massive lawsuit it’s currently facing involving gender discrimination. Though the lawsuit began a few years ago, the suit is still going on so I don’t think it should be noted on the 2011 list or any future list for that matter until the suit is over. Just a suggestion. You can follow up on the legislation via the N.O.W. website or ACLU’s website.

I do not believe that men make more doing the same jobs as women or women make more than men in some jobs. In order to ascertain that aqn inequality exists there are myriad details that need to be considered before you can say that someone unfairly makes more than someone else. You just said it yourself, “…for whatever reason…” If it were that easy then name the companies that are not paying people fairly. All women do is regurgitate this every year. My mother said it 50 years ago and now, when there are many many more female business owners and more woemn than ever in the work place, you are still telling me it hasn’t changed? marilyn Vos Savantn (“Ask Marilyn” Guiness book of world records for highest IQ) said a long time ago that the wage gap “Is very small if at all” she also says that if women’s work was indeed equal and you can pay them less, than why aren’t businesses hiring mostly women? As competitive as the business world is it would not make any sense to have an inflated payroll just because you like men. Read Steven Pinkers’ “The Blank Slate.” He is the Johnstone Family Professor of Psychology at Harvard University. He discusses this as well. Besides you women need to clean house on your double standards big time, and if you need to ask me “What double standards?” Then you haven’t looked in the mirror lately. Women do not make less. men do not make less. There may be descrepancies for other reasons.

I do not believe that men make more doing the same jobs as women or women make more than men in some jobs. In order to ascertain that an inequality exists there are myriad details that need to be considered before you can say that someone unfairly makes more than someone else. You just said it yourself, “…for whatever reason…” If it were that easy then name the companies that are not paying people fairly. All women do is regurgitate this every year. My mother said it 50 years ago, when it was true, and now, when there are many many more female business owners and more woman than ever in the work place, you are still telling me it hasn’t changed? Marilyn Vos Savant (“Ask Marilyn” Guiness book of world records for highest IQ) said a long time ago that the wage gap “Is very small if at all” she also says that if women’s work was indeed equal and you can pay them less, than why aren’t businesses hiring mostly women? As competitive as the business world is it would not make any sense to have an inflated payroll just because you like men. Read Steven Pinkers’ “The Blank Slate.” He is the Johnstone Family Professor of Psychology at Harvard University. He discusses this as well. Besides you women need to clean house on your double standards big time, and if you need to ask me “What double standards?” Then you haven’t looked in the mirror lately. Women do not make less. men do not make less. There may be descrepancies for other reasons.

I do not believe that men make more doing the same jobs as women or women make more than men in some jobs. In order to ascertain that an inequality exists there are myriad details that need to be considered before you can say that someone unfairly makes more than someone else. You just said it yourself, “…for whatever reason…” If it were that easy then name the companies that are not paying people fairly. All women do is regurgitate this every year. My mother said it 50 years ago, when it was true, and now, when there are many many more female business owners and more women than ever in the work place, you are still telling me it hasn’t changed? Marilyn Vos Savant (“Ask Marilyn” Guiness book of world records for highest IQ) said a long time ago that the wage gap “Is very small if at all” she also says that if women’s work was indeed equal and you can pay them less, than why aren’t businesses hiring mostly women? As competitive as the business world is it would not make any sense to have an inflated payroll just because you like men. Read Steven Pinkers’ “The Blank Slate.” He is the Johnstone Family Professor of Psychology at Harvard University. He discusses this as well. Besides you women need to clean house on your double standards big time, and if you need to ask me “What double standards?” Then you haven’t looked in the mirror lately. Women do not make less. men do not make less. There may be descrepancies for other reasons.

The usage of percentages in this article are all over the place. You state numerous times that women earn 100+% more than men in particular fields. This means that they earn over double. If you earn 100% of a man’s income, you make the same as a man. If you earn 100% more than a man’s income, you make double as much as a man.